


A Series of Unexpected Events

by Marvel_Mania



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, M/M, Protective Siblings, Sappy Ending, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, slow burn (kind of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:47:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25287082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvel_Mania/pseuds/Marvel_Mania
Summary: Bucky had picked up pickpocketing as a way to cover rent. He's barely getting by as it is. One night, he tries to pickpocket Steve Rogers. Maybe it was fate that they met because after that night neither of their lives were the same.(Bucky tries to steal Steve's wallet but it doesn't go as planned. Feeling sorry for him, Steve simply gives Bucky all the money he has on him. That should be the end of it but it isn't.)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 13
Kudos: 191





	A Series of Unexpected Events

**Author's Note:**

> This is a lot longer than I intended and I need a nap. 
> 
> Side note, you have to be twenty-one to adopt (at least that's my general understanding) but Bucky is eighteen. I defend this by saying that the system is overrun and overworked ao they just didn't want three more kids. Also, Bucky is their only relative and since he was willing to take them, they didn't want to split up the family. 
> 
> All mistakes are my own. Quick thanks to my amazing friends for putting up with me. Love you guys!
> 
> As always, enjoy the story!

The thing is, life is never easy. It’s made harder when you’re orphaned at eighteen and have to take care of your three little sisters. Bucky knows this because that’s what happened to him.

His parents had been killed by, as cliche as it may sound, a drunk driver during Bucky’s senior year of high school. After that, nothing was the same. He had had to legally adopt his three younger sisters, the legal situation had been a nightmare since he wasn’t twenty-one but he was the only living adult they had so the courts had granted him custody, and was trying to provide for them while in college.

His college plans had also changed. He had good enough grades and test scored to get into most schools and scholarships too. He had planned on going to MIT but that had changed because he needed to stay local for his sisters. It wasn’t what he planned but it would have to do. He also attended classes during the summer so he would be able to find a real job sooner. He would never blame his sisters for it or resent them but sometimes he wondered what it would have been like if his parents hadn’t died.

He had barely made it through undergraduate and was now on his last year of his master’s degree. He had gotten all of the scholarships he could his first semester but it had been too late for the major ones. That was the semester he had also learned to pickpocket. He had a full-time job but it didn’t pay enough so had taken to stealing to keep himself and his sisters off the street. He didn’t feel good about it but he was doing what he had to to survive.

They were barely scraping by financially. Becca had gotten a job the summer she turned sixteen to help Bucky out but he had refused to take the money. “Save it for college, Becca. Your future is important. I can make ends meet,” he had told her even though he had barely made enough for food and rent that month. She had thankfully listened to him. As much as he hated not being able to help her through college as much as he wanted, he could help guide her financially. After a long night of looking at number he was able to figure that if she saved for two years and worked through college she wouldn’t have debt provided that she got a scholarship or two.

Things were okay for a while. Bucky hadn’t needed to steal for a while, Becca was saving money for college, Ally was excited about starting her last year of middle school in the fall, and Angie was ecstatic about finally turning double digits. Things were still tight but Bucky made do until his hours got cut. His manager assured him it was only for a month but she didn’t seem to understand that Bucky desperately needed that money.

“Becca, I hate to ask especially since it’s your night off but can you watch Ally and Angie for a few hours,” he asked and felt terrible. Becca worked twenty-five hours a week while juggling school and she also helped Bucky with their two younger sisters. He hated that she had to work to prepare for college, he was supposed to provide for her, but they were barely keeping their heads above water and Bucky was acutely aware that they needed to do back to school shopping soon. The start of the school year was always hard.

“Of course, Buck,” she said reassuringly. God, he thought, she was almost an adult. Where had the time gone? It felt like she had been thirteen just a little while ago and then he blinked and she was seventeen.

“Thank you, I owe you. I should hopefully be home before dark. I’ll pick up some pizza. If you lot are asleep, it will be breakfast,” he said and she simply grinned at him.

Bucky had learned that Manhattan was a good place to pickpocket. Most people were on their phones so they didn’t notice him and they carried money on them. He had managed to snag enough money to cover the rent for the month but he needed more for the back to school shopping that he had been putting off. “One more,” he told himself as he pocketed another clump of bills. He waited for a minute until he saw someone who looked like a good target.

The guy was taller than Bucky and broader but he looked preoccupied and he was wearing a jacket. Jackets made stealing easier as long as people’s hands weren’t in the pockets. Bucky waited and followed him for a block before he decided to make his move. His heart speaks up as it always did before stealing. They were about to walk through a group going in the opposite direction. It was perfect.

Bucky sped up to catch up with him so he’d be close enough to reach into the jacket pocket where Bucky knew the wallet was. Just a few more steps and then Bucky would be able to grab the wallet.

They entered the group going in the opposite direction and Bucky made his move. He slipped his hand into the jacket pocket, felt his fingers close around the leather of the wallet, and took it out easily enough. He had just pulled his hand away when he was being pushed into an alley that he hadn’t seen was coming up. “Fuck,” he muttered. He really didn’t want to get beaten up but it seemed that that was what was about to happen. If he was lucky he could at least get away with the money.

He was not lucky because he got his first good look at the face of the man he had just tried to pickpocket. He didn’t look at faces, it made the people too human and he would back down, but now he wished to would have because he had tried to steal from Captain America. Captain fucking America had shoved him into an alley because Bucky had tried to steal from him. He now hopes that he only got beat up.

“You want to tell me what you think you’re doing,” Captain America asked.

“What do you mean,” Bucky asked, deciding to play dumb even though he was still holding the stolen wallet.

Captain America narrowed his eyes and pointedly looked at the wallet before reaching his hand out. Sighing, Bucky placed the wallet in the outstretched hand but said nothing. “So do you want to tell me why you were trying to steal my wallet. You’re what nineteen, twenty? I could turn you in and then you’d have a record. Is that worth a few measly bucks, kid?”

Bucky wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. He was getting lectured in an alley by Captain America. What had his life become? “I’m twenty-two. I‘m not a kid,” Bucky muttered.

“Alright then,” the Captain said though he didn’t sound convinced. “Want to tell me why you wanted my wallet now? Get a thrill from stealing, maybe?”

He did get an almost thrill from stealing but he always felt guilty. He never liked stealing and he always turned the wallets into businesses so information was less likely to be stolen. “I needed the money,” was all he said.

“For,” Captain America pressed.

“What’s it matter,” Bucky finally snapped. “Beat me up if that’s what you’re going to do.”

“I won’t beat you up but I’m seriously considering turning you over to law enforcement.”

That made Bucky pause. “Please don’t,” he finally whispered.

“Give me a good enough reason for stealing and I won’t,” Captain America said.

“I’m in college but I work full time. My hours at work got cut this month. I’m low on rent because of it,” he said and it wasn’t a lie. “It wouldn’t matter if it was just me but I have three younger sisters. The youngest is only ten. They need me and if you turn me over to the police they’ll go to the system. Our parents died and I’m trying my best but it isn’t enough. They’re counting on me.”

He was crying. He was having a mental breakdown and crying in front of a national icon. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched away but it remained there. “That’s a good enough reason,” Captain America said. He took out his wallet and handed Bucky all of the money in there and then Bucky was crying harder.

Without thinking, Bucky threw his arms around him before realizing and scrambling away. “I’m sorry, Captain America, sir,” he said through his tears.

“You can call me Steve,” he said and then pulled Bucky in for a tight hug. Bucky practically collapsed into it. Steve didn’t let go until Bucky was ready. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I think so. I won’t do it again,” Bucky said after he pulled away. The second part was a lie, he would do anything for his sisters.

“Good. I know things get tough, I grew up during the tail end of the Great Depression, but I want you to stay clean. No more stealing, got it?” Bucky simply nodded. “Alright. Things will get better. Goodbye, kid.”

“Bye, Steve,” Bucky said as Steve walked out of the alley.

Bucky stayed for a moment later until he had completely gotten himself together. He got pizza on his way home and found his sisters all asleep on one of the two mattresses on the floor with the small television playing some show. It was for the best that they were asleep, he thought as he put the pizza boxes in the oven. They probably wouldn’t believe him if he told them that he had met Captain America anyways. In the morning it would feel like a distant dream.

•••

After his run-in with Captain America, “call me Steve,” Bucky was able to pull it together for a while longer. He had even managed to save barely enough for his sisters to get some new clothes. Then the ground fell out from under him. The store he worked at was having major cutbacks and that meant a lot of people losing their jobs, Bucky included.

Now with no actual income, Bucky had two choices. Let them get kicked out of their small apartment or go back to pickpocketing. He hadn’t pickpocketed since Steve mainly because he was kind of scared that he would just know and then come to brag him off to the mercy of the court.

After a lot of consideration, Bucky came up with a plan. He was desperate, more than usual, so it made sense to him. He would go to the Avengers tower and ask, beg, Steve for help. If Steve turned him away he would have no other choice than to steal.

The girls had already gone back to school but Becca would be home first. He left a not on the counter saying that he would be home as soon as he could. He went to class one of his only ‘fuck me’ outfits. This got him more glances than ever before and people that he didn’t know tried to start conversations with him. He ignored all of them and basically sprinted to the subway after his last class.

He stood at the door of the tower for a moment with his heart in his throat before he forced himself to walk in. “Hello, sir, how may I help you,” a formal secretary asked once he entered.

“I’m here to see Steve Rogers. He knows me,” he said trying to keep his voice normal. She looked him over and didn’t look convinced. “You can ask him. My name is Bucky. We met a few weeks ago in an ally.”

He really hoped Steve remembered him or he was toast. She eventually picked up the phone and called who he assumed was either Steve or security. She apparently wasn’t happy with the answer she got because her smile turned cold. “Mr. Rogers says you are welcome to come up. The elevator will take you to his floor,” she said.

Feeling a little smug, and even more nervous, Bucky winked at her just to piss her off more before going to the elevator. Once actually in the elevator, he started to panic again. What if Steve was with someone? What if Steve actually did turn him down? What if—

His next hysterical question was cut off by the doors opening to reveal that Steve was waiting for him. “Hey, kid,” he said with a smile. Bucky forced himself to smile back. “Do you want something to drink or do you want to sit down?”

“Can we sit,” Bucky finally asked. Steve nodded and lead the way into an open space with couches that could have fit Bucky’s entire apartment into it and still have space.

“You okay, kid,” Steve asked after they had both sat down.

“Bucky. My name is Bucky and I’m not a kid,” he said. “I’m going to be a little low on money for a while and I was hoping you could help me out.” Bucky stood and walked closer to Steve and sat in his lap before continuing. “I could make it worth your time,” he said lowly.

“I—“

“Please. I’d do anything,” Bucky prompted. He hoped he was doing this right. He had never actually slept with anyone for money. He had only had two partners but he hadn’t had time between school and work and raising his sisters to be with anyone for four years.

“Bucky, wait,” Steve said, and then hands were gently pushing him off of Steve’s lap. Bucky was mentally cursing himself. Of course Steve wouldn’t want to pay Bucky for sex when he could sleep with almost anyone he wanted for free. What had Bucky been thinking? “I won’t sleep with you.”

Bucky practically wilted and then stood to leave before he could humiliate himself any further. “Sorry for wasting your time,” he said softly with his head hung low.

“Wait. I can still help. You just don’t need to offer yourself for me to help,” Steve said quickly as he too stood.

“If not sex, what do you want?”

“To help. When we met you looked like you were having a really hard time. I want to help. I can give you money to help out—“

“What’s the price,” Bucky cut him off.

“What ever you need,” Steve said earnestly.

“Not how much you would give me. What’s your price? Nothing in life is free so what if the price of your help,” he explained.

“Nothing. I want to help,” Steve tried again.

“People don’t do things out of the kindness of their hearts. There’s always a price or a catch or a trick. I will not be in your debt especially if I don’t know what it will cost later down the line,” Bucky said ready to walk out. Sleeping with someone for money was one thing but he wasn’t willing to give someone, not even Captain America, a blank check to be used at a later time.

“You can pay me back whatever money I lend you. Like a bank but no interest or late fee. I’ll give you money that you’ll just give back to me as you can,” Steve said trying to keep Bucky from leaving.

He had been worried about the boy who tried to rob him but he wasn’t sure he would ever see him again. Bucky looked at him for a hard minute. “No hidden meaning,” he asked suspiciously. “Just a loan?”

“Just a loan,” Steve answered.

Bucky looked at him for a moment longer before reaching out his hand. “Deal,” he said. They went over the logistics of everything for a while before Bucky had to go. Becca had work soon and Bucky needed to be home to watch Ally and Angie. They had agreed that if Bucky needed money he would text Steve and they would meet in public where Steve would then give Bucky the money.

“Call me if you ever need anything. Financially or otherwise,” Steve said as Bucky left. He had already given the brunette his phone number.

“Sure and thank you, Steve,” Bucky said before the elevator doors closed.

It took a moment after Bucky had left for Steve to realize what he had done. He had given his personal phone number to a civilian that he barely knew. Fury was going to kill him if he found out but Steve couldn’t help it.

He had watched Bucky cry in an alley over not being able to take care of his sisters and then he had shown up at the tower offering himself in exchange for money. He had practically crumbled when Steve said he wouldn’t sleep with him. Sleeping with him would have been wrong no matter how attractive he was and he didn’t want Bucky to have to sleep with anyone he didn’t want to because he needed money. Then Bucky had declined literal free money because he didn’t trust Steve to just help him.

•••

Life progressed as normal only now Steve regularly saw Bucky. At first the only texts Steve got from Bucky were about money and Steve was okay with that but eventually Bucky started to open up to Steve and share some of his life with him.

Steve’s heart broke a little every time he learned something new about not just Bucky but the Barnes family. He learned that their parents died not long after Bucky had turned eighteen, that Bucky adopted his sisters after a long legal battle to keep them together, and that he worked himself to the bone to take care of them. Bucky had even sent him a few photos of them. One had been before the accident and their parents were in that one. Another had been after Bucky had won custody of his sisters and there was a recent one of them at a park. It was obviously in all of the pictures that Bucky adored his little sisters.

Steve had found that he smiled whenever he got a text from Bucky. He was pretty sure the other Avengers had noticed but no one had said anything to him yet.

He had been with Sam when he got one from Bucky. It was unusually early to get a text from him so early so Steve was a little worried. ‘ _Rent is do today. I’m low again. Can’t come meet you, sick as a dog, could you come to the apartment?_ ’ Is what is read. There had also been another text with an address and then another of just emojis. Steve was pretty sure he did it because he had once mentioned that they made him laugh.

“We getting called in? You’re downing at your phone pretty hard,” Sam said.

“Everything’s okay. I just need to run an errand,” Steve said and Sam’s eyebrows shot up.

“Meeting a boy,” Sam teased good naturally.

“It’s not like that,” Steve tried.

“You’ve been on your phone more than you ever have been recently and you always smile when you get a text. I won’t press but everyone is glad that you found someone. You should bring him around some time,” Sam said. Steve smiled at him and then gave him a side hug. It had taken a lot of courage but Steve admitted to the team, and then to the world, that he was bisexual. He had loved Peggy Carter but he was also attracted to males.

Steve was also pretty sure him coming out had been one reason that Bucky had tried to come onto him in exchange for money.

“Thanks, Sam. That means a lot,” Steve said. He didn’t bring up the fact that he probably wouldn’t be bringing this particular boy home with him.

They said their goodbyes and then Steve went to an ATM. He was on his way to the address Bucky had sent when he passed a small store. On impulse, he went into the store and bought soup for Bucky. He didn’t think that it might be odd until he was already at the door of the apartment. It was too late to do anything so he simply knocked.

“One minute,” he heard but it sounded muffled. When the door opened, Steve saw what Bucky had meant about being as sick as a dog. Bucky looked tired and just unwell. His hair looked greasy and he was wrapped in at least three blankets. “Hey, Steve,” he said but it sounded more like ‘hey, Stebe.’

“Can I come in,” Steve asked gently.

“Uh,” Bucky said and then glanced back into the apartment. “It’s messy and not as nice as your place.”

“I grew up in what probably amounts to a shoebox and I’ve had to stay in some pretty sketchy places on missions so I won’t judge but I understand if you still don’t want me to come in,” he said earnestly.

Apparently accepting that, Bucky opened the door wider and stepped aside to let him in. The apartment really was small but it wasn’t actually messy. It looked like someone took care to keep what they could clean. There was a beat-up couch that was pulled out into a bed and another mattress resting on the floor next to it. There were no clothes on the floor even though there was no dresser. There was a good sized bookshelf that had clothing neatly folded on it with four laundry baskets next to it with dirty clothes.

Seeing Steve stare at the apartment made him feel anxious. He always felt like his sisters deserved more but this was all he could afford and sometimes he couldn’t even afford this. “I know it’s not much but we try to take care of it. They deserve more than this but this all I can provide right now. The only reason I haven’t dropped out of college is because I want a better life for them. I won’t be able to help Becca as much as I hope to help Ally and Angie.”

“You’ve all lost a lot but they still have you. They’re lucky to have a big brother like you,” Steve said and then remember the soup he was still holding. “Oh, I, uh, I brought you soup.”

That got a startled snort out of Bucky and a smile. “If only my ma could have seen this. Steven Rogers bringing me soup,” he said dramatically. His stuffy nose made it all that more comedic. That was one thing Steve really liked about Bucky, even though he was teasing him Steve was still just Steve. Bucky saw Steve as a person and not just the icon. Even when Bucky mentioned Captain America, which wasn’t often, it was to tease Steve about it like the Avengers mostly did. “My grandma is probably rolling over in her grave. She met you once, you know. Well, you probably don’t remember. She had a big crush on you, now I’m personal friends with you. You’re the only friend I have outside of my sisters.”

That got Steve to laugh. “Yeah, Buck, we’re friends. I wish I could say that I remember your grandmother but I met so many people. I’m glad that I got to meet you, even though you tried to steal my wallet,” he teased.

“I am sorry about that,” Bucky said and he was about to cry. He was hopped up on cold medicine, he reasoned.

“You were just doing what you needed for you and your sisters to survive,” Steve said and he pulled Bucky into a hug.

“Stop, I’ll get you sick,” Bucky said as he tried to pull away.

“I can’t get sick, the serum, remember,” Steve said as he still held Bucky.

“Cold medicine,” was all Bucky said.

Steve stayed with Bucky for a while. He was able to get Bucky to eat some of the soup and they just talked for a while. Because of the cold medicine, Bucky opened up more than he had so far. He talked about how proud he was of Becca especially. He talked about how she had been saving money since she was sixteen for college and she would be better off than him. Eventually, Bucky said that Steve needed to leave. The girls would be back soon.

“Rest,” Steve said. He kissed Bucky’s forehead before leaving. As he walked back to the tower, because he needed the air, he realized that he had a crush on Bucky.

He had noticed the first time that they had met that Bucky was attractive and again when Bucky came to the tower. As Steve got to know who Bucky was and the kind of person he was, he grew to respect Bucky and care about not only him but also his sisters even though he hadn’t met any of them.

Just as he knew he had a crush on Bucky, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to act on his feelings. Bucky was not quite dependent on Steve but Steve did hold power over Bucky. If he tried to start a relationship, Bucky wouldn’t feel like he could say no to Steve. It would be like if he went to one of the level one Shield agents. He held authority over them and they wouldn’t be able to say no without fear of retaliation and Steve never wanted Bucky to be afraid of him.

By the time Steve got back to the tower, his head was mostly clear. He just needed to act as if nothing had changed because nothing had actually changed. At least he had a spot in Bucky’s life, he told himself.

•••

It wasn’t Becca who figured it out first, it was Angie. How the youngest of the three figured it, Bucky would probably never know. Even though she didn’t get it completely right, he was still impressed.

“Bucky has a boyfriend,” she declared over dinner one night.

All eyes swiveled to Bucky. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” he tried to deny.

“He’s always smiling at his phone and someone brought him soup when he was sick a few weeks ago,” she said as if it was common knowledge.

“Oh my fucking god.”

“Rebecca! You know not to swear in the apartment,” Bucky admonished. He had a rule about not swearing in front of Ally and Angie until they learned swear words on their own or through their friends. Becca could have some pretty colorful language but to be fair it was Bucky who taught it to her.

“So it is true,” Ally exclaimed.

“Listen,” Bucky said as all three girls started talking over each other at once. “I do not have a boyfriend. You know that I don’t lie to you guys. I have recently made a new friend but it isn’t romantic.”

“What’s his name?”

“Can we meet him?”

“How did you meet him?

“Is he handsome?”

“Does he like dogs or cats more?” That one was from Angie.

“One question at a time, please. His name is Steve. We met while I was at work,” he didn’t lie but he sometimes stretched the truth, “and he is very handsome but we still aren’t dating. I’m not sure what pets he likes more.”

“Can we meet him,” they all asked at once.

“I’m meeting with him tomorrow. I’ll have to ask him but I’ll let you guys know, alright?” They all nodded and went back to their dinner.

The next day, Bucky went to meet Steve as always. “So, my sisters finally put it together that I made a new friend. They want to meet you. They’re all at the apartment if you have time now.”

“Really? You want me to meet them,” Steve asked excitedly.

“Only if you want to. I didn’t tell them about the whole Captain America thing,” Bucky said.

So that was how he found himself standing outside of his own apartment with a national icon next to him. “Coming in,” he called as he unlocked the door and they entered the apartment.

When they entered the apartment, Bucky was glad to see that it was still clean from where he cleaned the night before. All the laundry was on the bookshelf, the couch was made, the floor was damn near spotless, the bathroom had been more thoroughly cleaned than it had been in the three years that they had lived there, and there wasn’t a single crumb in the kitchen.

By the time the two were fully in the apartment, all three girls were standing in a line waiting for them. “Holy shit,” Becca said when she finally got a good look at Steve. “That’s Steve fucking Rogers, Captain America, an Avenger, a superhero from the forties. How the ever loving fuck did you become friends with him?”

“Rebecca, cursing,” Bucky said but there was no actual heat. He understood her reaction, he had had a very similar reaction.

“Is he really the man from my history book,” Angie asked, craning her neck to look at Steve’s face.

Bucky squatted to look at Angie’s face. “Yeah, Angie, he’s in history books but there’s more to him than that. He’s a person just like me or Ally or Becca.”

“And like Mrs. Madison,” Angie asked.

“Yeah, just like Mrs. Madison,” he agreed.

“Who’s Mrs. Madison,” Steve asked. He was able to follow complex intel briefings but now he was lost.

“Her teacher,” the middle child said. She must be Ally, Steve thought.

“Alright, let me actually introduce everyone. Steve, these are my three sisters. Rebecca, Alison, and Angelina this is Steve Rogers.”

Angie pulled on Steve’s hand to get his attention. “Do you like cats or dogs,” she asked, and then Steve was smiling. It was stupid but it was just such a normal question that a ten-year-old would ask her old brother’s friend.

“I like both. When I was younger I always wanted a pet but I had allergies so my ma and I couldn’t get one,” he said. That seemed to be an acceptable answer because she smiled.

They eventually moved into the living room area. Bucky sat on the floor with Becca while Steve, Ally, and Angie sat on the couch. Steve stood out a little in the room. All of the Barnes children had brown hair and varying shades of light blue eyes while Steve had golden hair and baby blue eyes.

After the initial shock, Bucky’s sisters took an instant liking to Steve just like Bucky himself had. They stayed and talked. They were together when dinner time came and Steve took them out to eat. “You do realize that the absolute fast way to a Barnes’ heart is through the stomach. My ma said that was one of the reasons she married my dad. You may never actually get rid of us now,” Bucky teased.

“There are worse things than that,” Steve said as he looked into Bucky’s eyes.

On Steve’s insistence, Steve walked them all back to their apartment. “Oh, I meant to mention this at dinner but kind of forgot. I have a history thing that I wanted to ask Steve about. It will be quick,” Becca said once they got to the apartment.

Bucky raised a questioning eyebrow at Steve but Steve smiled. “Of course. Happy to help,” he said.

“Alright. I’m going to get Ally and Angie ready for bed. Thank you so much for dinner, Steve. What do we say to Steve?”

“Thank you, Steve,” Angie and Ally said in unison.

“I’ll text you later,” Bucky said as he took his two youngest siblings into the apartment.

“What is your history thing on,” Steve asked with a smile after Bucky was back in the apartment.

“That? I lied. I wanted to talk to you without Bucky around,” Becca said and Steve’s smile fell away. She looked scary in a way that reminded Steve of Natasha. The only problem is that Natasha’s anger had never been directed at Steve like Becca’s currently was.

“Okay?”

“I don’t know how I didn’t notice that there was someone new in his life sooner but I didn’t. I have been relooking at the past few months now that I know. I know that you’re helping us financially. Bucky is still worried about money but not as much as he was before he met you. Now listen closely, I don’t know what your angle is but if you hurt my brother in any way you will regret it. I don’t care if you are Captain America or if you have the support of the Avengers and Shield behind you, I will make you regret ever getting out of the ice and meeting Bucky if you hurt him.”

“I don’t—“

“I’m not done,” Becca cut off Steve’s interruption. “Bucky has given up so much for us, to keep us out of the system and together. He became responsible for us when he was only eighteen. He was barely an adult himself. He has never once hesitated to do what is best for us even if it isn’t what’s best for him. He’s always looked out for us but refused to let us help him because he doesn’t want us to worry. That’s the kind of person he is.

I’m stepping up now and looking after him. Bucky hasn’t been in a relationship for over four years and he has never brought anyone to meet us. We asked to meet you but he could have easily said no. He cares for you and that will make him blind to what is best for himself. This is your only warning. If you hurt my family, you will regret it. Good night, Captain Rogers,” she said and went into the apartment without giving Steve a chance to say anything.

Steve was left standing in the hallway, vaguely afraid of the seventeen-year-old who just threatened him if he hurt her brother.

Walking back to the tower from the Barnes’ apartment had become normal at this point. It always gave him time to clear his head. He thought about Becca’s words as he walked. He had no doubt that she was resourceful enough to actually make his life miserable if she so chose to. He had no intentions of hurting Bucky, that was one of the last things he wanted. His final thought on the matter before entering the tower was that Rebecca Barnes could give almost any of the Avengers a run for their money in the scary department.

•••

After his talk with, warning from, Becca Steve had taken a small step back to actually think. He had gotten somehow swept up in his relationship with Bucky. For the first time since they entered into the agreement, Steve took a minute to think about how this could actually end and he wasn’t sure it would be ending well.

“What’s got you so down, Cap,” Tony asked. They were in Tony’s lab. Steve liked Dum-E, he almost reminded Steve of a dog, and Steve liked to draw some of Tony’s inventions. They were good practice because of all of the small parts. “Is it the boy you haven’t let us meet yet?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Steve said, not looking up from his sketch pad.

“You want some advice?”

“Not really,” Steve deadpanned.

“So what you need to do is make a grand gesture. A declaration of your love,” Tony said. “How’s he feel about stuffed animals?”

“Things with him are complicated. I can’t just declare my feelings for him. A giant stuffed animal probably isn’t the way to go considering we’re both adults.” He did think that maybe Angie would like a stuffed animal though.

“What’s so complicated? You like him, he probably likes you. Go for it,” Tony pushes.

“I can’t. If I tried to start something romantic with him, I don’t think he would feel as though he could say no. I don’t want to push him into something he may not want.”

“Want me to do anything,” Tony asked.

This got Steve to look up. “No. I’m serious about this, Tony. Leave him be. Alright?”

“Yeah, sure,” Tony said dismissively.

“Tony,” Steve said in his Captain America voice.

“I got it, I got it. Leave him alone,” Tony said as he waved a hand.

They went back to silence until Steve went to go spare with Natasha. If you think about it, it’s really Steve’s fault. How? Tony’s not sure but Steve should have done something different.

It didn’t take long to figure out who Steve’s mystery man was. He was able to hack into Steve’s phone, get the guy’s phone number and then backtrack it to the owner. The owner being one James Buchanan Barnes.

Tony spent the rest of the afternoon looking into the kid and he really was a kid at only twenty-two years old. He was bright. He had been accepted to MIT with scholarships and had planned on going until he suddenly changed his mind and stayed local. The sudden change intrigued Tony so he dug deeper.

As he kept digging, he kept finding heartbreaking things. The kid had stayed local because he adopted his three little sisters at eighteen. He adopted his sister because their parents had died. A car accident and that hit Tony right in the gut since that’s what had taken his own parents. James worked full time while attending college but he was barely keeping his head above water.

Tony looked into what the kid was studying. He was looking into affordable, high tech prosthetics and renewable energy. He would fit in perfectly at Stark Industries and he could quit his minimum wage job.

Deciding that he had nothing better to do, he went to go meet the person who had somehow managed to get Steve Rogers’s heart.

Tony drove through the city, Iron Man may scare the kid off, with music blasting. When he got to the apartment building he did actually call his suit to protect his car. The neighborhood didn’t scream bad but it also wasn’t good and Tony liked this car.

He strolled in and up the stairs to the Barnes’s apartment and knocked on the door. “Is it the takeout,” a male voice that could only have been James asked.

Then there was a thud. “It isn’t Chinese,” said a female voice that was close to the door. There was shuffling and then a muttered curse. “What happened to no cursing?”

The female voice didn’t get an answer because then the door was opening enough for James to walk out but not enough for Tony to see into the apartment. “Can I help you,” James asked but he was blocking the door protectively.

“Wrong question. I assume you already know who I am and I know who you are, James, so the real question is can I help you.”

“Alright. Can you help me,” James asked hesitantly.

“Of course. You have managed to catch the attention of a certain tights wearing super soldier so you also managed to catch my attention. I did some digging and found out all about you and your three sisters,” Tony said.

He watched as confusion and hesitantly morphed into protectiveness and James squares his shoulders. “What’s this about?”

“Oh, don’t get so defensive. In my searching, I found what you’re studying and I think you would do great at Stark Industries once you finish school this semester.”

“And if I say no? Is this Steve’s catch? I come work for you?”

“The good Captain doesn’t even know I’m here. He’s been very secretive about you, James. It almost seems like he’s worried we’ll scare you off. I don’t make house calls, ever, and this would be good for you and the three with their ears probably pressed to the door. You are smart, you could have been at MIT but you chose to stay for family. That shows a loyalty that most people don’t have.”

“If I say no, you just walk away?”

“Yes, but I would recommend you at least consider the offer. If you were to sign a, say, five-year contact Stark Industries would pay off all college debt and any if you choose to get a doctorate. There would also be a substantial pay increase from your current salary. Until you graduate, there’s a paid internship available. I could also throw in a nice apartment for you and your sisters,” Tony said.

“Where would I work?”

“Research and development. You would get a grant to find your prosthetic idea and you could collaborate with others on renewable energy. It’s a win-win situation. I get a brilliant new employee and you get a better life for yourself and your sisters.”

“I want all of that in writing or no deal,” James said.

“I’ll have a contract sent over by tomorrow. You start the internship next Monday and the apartment key will be sent with the contract if you so decide to sign the contract. Let’s have a meeting Sunday at, let’s say, two in the afternoon to go over details more closely. I would appreciate it if you could hold off telling Steve about our little visit until tomorrow,” Tony said with an outstretched hand. James slowly took it and they shook. “See you Sunday, James.”

“Bucky. Everyone calls me Bucky,” he said as Tony walked away. Tony saw Bucky open the door and all three of his sisters stumbled into the hall from the corner of his eye.

While driving back to the tower, Tony called Pepper to tell her what he had just done and that he needed a contract. “This is the guy Steve has been pinning over,” she asked.

“Yep,” Tony said.

“And he told you not to contact him or get involved at all,” she clarified.

“Yeah.”

“Send me all of his information to make sure that he is actually qualified but expect a lecture when you get to the tower,” she said and hung up.

Sure enough, Steve was waiting as soon as Tony got off the elevator. He had his Eyebrows-of-Disappointment on. “Hey, Cap. Did I miss anything interesting ?”

“You not only violated my privacy but Bucky’s as well. You went to his apartment. Do you know how many boundaries you violated,” he asked sternly.

“Look, it all worked out. He now has an internship until he graduates and then a job. It’s a win-win,” Tony said as he tried to pass Steve but Steve grabbed his arms.

“Tony, did he even feel like he could say no,” he asked.

“Uh,” Tony paused. He hadn’t even noticed how hesitant Bucky was until now.

Steve let go of his arm and went to the elevator to go to his floor. In the elevator, he pulled out his phone and called Bucky. “I’m so sorry about Tony. I told him to leave you alone and not bother you. You could and still can tell him to fuck off,” he said as soon as the line connected.

“Bucky, Steve just said a bad word,” Angie said.

“Angie, give me the phone. You should be in bed,” Steve heard Bucky say slightly for away.

“Good night, Steve,” Angie said and then Bucky greeted him.

“Sorry about that. Things have been hectic tonight,” Bucky said.

“Yeah. Pepper told me about your unexpected guest,” Steve said as he got out of the elevator. “You don’t have to take the job if you don’t want to. You can tell him to go fuck himself.”

“The girls and I talked about it and I want to take the job. It will pay off my debt and pay more and it will get the girls a good apartment that’s in a safe place. We talked about school and everything but we have a plan.”

“I’m glad for you, Buck,” Steve said honestly.

“And with the larger pay, I can start paying you back,” Bucky said.

Steve wanted to say something but he wasn’t sure exactly what so he held his tongue. Bucky talked about the opportunities that opened for his prosthetic research and Steve listened. He liked it when Bucky got excited about science. It was cute. Eventually, Bucky had to go and Steve understood.

•••

Bucky had taken the job and Steve had helped them move into the apartment in Manhattan. Bucky looked ready to pass out when he saw just how big it was. “I can’t believe this,” he said in awe. “I don’t have to pay rent as long as I work for Stark Industries.”

“Bucky! We get our own rooms,” Ally asked.

“Yeah, we do,” he said as he gathered his sisters into a hug. Angie and Ally went to explore the apartment when Becca pulled Bucky into another tight hug.

“They would be so proud of you. Not for just taking care of us but for all you’ve done. You’re going to do so much good,” Becca whispered. Steve was pretty sure he wasn’t meant to hear but he had enhanced hearing.

“Go, look around,” Bucky said and nudged her. She glanced at Steve before giving them some privacy. “This place is fully furnished. Tell Mr. Stark I said thank you for everything. I also want to thank you, Steve.”

“I didn’t do anything. Tony hires you because you’re smart,” Steve said.

Bucky hugged him tightly. “You helped when we were about to go under. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met you. The girls love you too,” Bucky said and kissed his cheek before he could think too much about it.

Steve stayed for a dinner that Bucky cooked. Bucky hadn’t been able to cook in their old apartment since they didn’t have all the stuff he needed. Even though it had been years, Bucky took to the kitchen like a duck to water. “Is there anything you can’t do,” Steve asked almost in awe.

He stayed as they watched a movie and then helped Bucky carry Ally and Angie to bed after the movie had ended and they fell asleep. Steve carried Angie to her room and had just put her under the covers when she stirred. “Do you love my brother,” she asked sleepily.

“I think I might,” he said softly.

“He thinks he might love you too. Can I be the flower girl at your wedding,” she asked.

“Of course,” Steve said without thinking.

“Planning a wedding already, Rogers,” Bucky asked from the doorway and Steve honest to god jumped a little.

“Oh, I, uh,” Steve stammered.

“I think we should probably have a talk,” he said and pushed himself off of the doorframe. When they got to the living room, it was empty. Becca must have already gone to bed. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want to pressure you. I always wanted you to know that you had a choice and it wouldn’t have felt right to tell you when I was helping you financially. I know that you could have taken care of yourself and the girls, you did before we met, but I didn’t want you to feel like I had an ulterior motive for helping. I told you when we agreed that there were no strings attached and I didn’t want you to think that that had changed,” Steve rushed out.

Bucky had listened silently but he had a soft smile on his face. That smile was usually reserved for when one of his sisters did something especially cute.

“That’s why you got upset with Tony. I’ll admit, when he showed up, I thought that was the catch. That I would have to work for him whether I wanted to or not but then he told me that you didn’t even know he was there.”

“He violated your privacy,” Steve said darkly.

“He did but I have forgiven him. It’s hard not to, seeing all that he’s done. I told you the second time we met that people don’t do kind things out of the kindness of their heart but you are the exception. You went out of your way to help a family you didn’t know,” Bucky said.

“Do you believe in fate,” Steve asked abruptly.

“I’m not sure,” Bucky said honestly. “Why?”

“I think we were meant to meet. You could have chosen anyone else to try to pickpocket but it was me,” Steve said.

“It was you,” Bucky repeated.

If asked Bucky wouldn’t be able to answer who kissed who first but the next thing he knew, Bucky was in Steve’s lap. Feeling like a teenager again, Bucky ground down on Steve’s lap and earned a soft moan. All brain function thrown out the window, Bucky moved his mouth to suck a bruise onto the perfect skin.

Steve gripped Bucky’s hips with one hand and tangled the other in Bucky’s hair while Bucky sucked on his neck. After enough time, Bucky pulled back to see a faint bruise that he could already see fading. He couldn’t help but pout. “What,” Steve asked as he caught sight of Bucky’s face.

“I won’t be able to give you hickeys,” Bucky said with the pout still firmly on his face.

Steve couldn’t help but kiss it off. “You can try as much as you want and I can always give you plenty of hickeys,” Steve murmured. He was then shifting and then Bucky’s back hit the couch cushions. Steve then took his time starting to kiss the exposed skin of Bucky’s neck while Bucky got his hands under Steve’s shirt. Bucky felt Steve’s muscles shift under his skin and god it had been so long since anyone had kissed him like Steve had.

Bucky had just gotten Steve’s jeans unbuttoned and unzipped then someone cleared their throat. Steve pulled away so quickly that he went tumbling off the couch. Bucky would have laughed if he wasn’t so embarrassed.

Becca had caught him with his hand practically down a guy’s, Steve’s, pants and Bucky knew that he must look a mess. God, Bucky hadn’t been this embarrassed since Winnifred had caught him in a similar situation when Bucky was seventeen. On the floor, Steve had two warring instincts. One told him to stay as still as possible and draw absolutely no attention to himself and the other was telling him to flee the apartment.

A moment of silence passed and then another before Steve carefully lifted himself to a sitting position on the floor while making sure to keep his open button and fly out of view. “Uh, I should probably,” Steve said and made a vague waving jester in the general direction of the door.

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed softly.

Steve got himself to a standing position, gave Bucky a quick peck on the lips and said, “I’ll text you tomorrow,” before fleeing the apartment with his jeans still unzipped.

Silence fell over the apartment again before Becca said, “Bucky?”

Face still red and more than a little embarrassed, Bucky finally stood. “Can we pretend you didn’t just see that,” he simply asked. Becca nodded but inside she was already planning on how to get to Steve.

The next day was conveniently Saturday day and Becca had taken off work to unpack. She was not long after Bucky. “I’m planning on meeting up with Kate for lunch. Is that okay,” she asked, acting as if nothing had happened the night before.

“Of course. Just don’t get back too late,” Bucky had simply said.

Now that they lived in Manhattan, it didn’t take nearly as long as it would have to get to the Avengers Tower. When she entered, Becca looked at the secretary behind the desk. She quickly decided that she could take her if it came to a fight. Bucky had taught her self defense and how to box. He was currently teaching Alice and would teach Angie when she became a teenager.

“I have a meeting with Captain Rogers,” she said and walked straight into an open elevator. It was common knowledge that Stark had an AI that ran the tower so she didn’t bother worrying when the doors closed and the elevator started moving without her pressing a bottom.

The doors opened to a living room and Becca saw Steve sitting on a couch next to a man that Becca recognized as the Falcon. She didn’t pay him any mind.

“Becca,” Steve said as he went to stand but she pinned him with a glare so cold it reminded him of the ice.

“No,” she simply said.

“Steve,” the Falcon asked but they both ignored him.

“I warned you. If you are just fucking with Bucky, don’t. Lose contact and forget you ever met him or any of us. He doesn’t do casual. If he’s committed, he will do damn near anything for you,” she said closing.

Steve was seeing Natasha in her again. “I’m not. I care about him,” Steve tried.

“But are you willing to stick around? If you’re with Bucky, you’re with us too. Ally is fourteen, do you see yourself with Bucky in four years? Angie is only ten. If you commit to Bucky, you also have to commit to us. Bucky’s not like normal people, he’s special. Are you willing to stick around?”

Steve managed to actually stand up when Becca glared at him a second time. “I love him. I’m willing to stay through the ups and downs,” Steve said earnestly.

She studied him intensely for a moment before slowly nodding. Then she hugged him. “Don’t hurt him, he’s all we have,” she whispered For the first time, she sounded vulnerable.

“I won’t,” Steve said. She left not long after, leaving a stunned Steve and Sam.

“Who was that,” Sam finally asked.

“You know the guy I’ve been seeing? That’s one of his sisters,” Steve said

Sam let out a whistle. “Good luck. For the safety of the world, don’t let her meet Nat,” Sam said.

“Believe me, I know,” Steve said.

Later that day, Steve did text Bucky and they planned their first actual date for the next weekend.

•••

They had been dating for three months and he’d been on six dates and they still hadn’t had sex. The most they had managed was heavy petting and groping each other mostly through clothing.

After Becca had caught them on the couch, they had started going to Bucky’s room for anything more than chaste kissing only to be interrupted every time.

When they finally had a date night with just the two of them instead of what was normally their ‘date’ with at least one of Bucky’s siblings, they went back to the tower. Bucky had almost had to beg Becca to take care of Ally and Angie the rest of the night and the next morning. When she had finally agreed, Bucky explained that he would be having a sleepover with Steve at his place.

Steve occasionally slept at their place, the girls always wanted to be with him so they didn’t get a chance to sneak away, so it hadn’t been odd. Angie had pouted and asked why Steve didn’t just stay with them. Bucky had gently explained that Steve wasn’t feeling well so Bucky was going to take care of him. Becca had rolled her eyes so hard at that, Bucky was surprised they didn’t get stuck in the back of her head.

They had gone out to a nice dinner and had gotten back to the tower. They had just made it to the bedroom, half dressed and both already hard, when Steve’s phone started ringing. “Ignore it,” Bucky had pleaded as he tried to drag Steve back to the bed but Steve gave him a sad look.

“It’s the Avengers. Anything else would be silent,” Steve said and Bucky damn near cried.

“I just want you to fuck me! Is that too much to ask,” Bucky said to the sealing.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” Steve said right before he answered the phone.

“How bad is it,” Bucky asked when Steve hung up.

“Murderous robots in Naples bad,” Steve said. Bucky just groaned. “You can stay the night if you’d like. Have a night to yourself.”

“Be safe,” Bucky had said. Steve had kissed Bucky’s forehead and then got a shirt back on and left. Bucky had laid on the bed for a while before also getting up and getting redressed. He had become codependent and didn’t want to be alone so he went back to his apartment.

Becca had raised an eyebrow when he got home and had opened her mouth to say something but Bucky simply gave her a look. “Avengers business,” he said darkly on his way to his room to shower and go to bed. Bucky had been pouty all day the next.

Once Steve got back to New York Bucky had kissed him until their lips were red, and then Angie had demanded to know all about the mission.

Bucky did not remember being this desperate to get fucked since he was seventeen. If his defense, he now had a boyfriend who looked like a Greek sculpture of the perfect man.

“Becca, I am begging you. Please watch Angie and Ally tonight,” he pleaded.

“You said it would only be once,” she countered.

“I assumed that I would have gotten fucked,” he said. Their parents had thankfully been the ones to give Becca the sex talk while Bucky had had to give it to Ally and would eventually have to give it to Angie. He was less embarrassed about talking about sex with Becca but he still didn’t like it.

“Bucky,” she whined.

“I am dating Captain fucking American and have been for months and we haven’t had sex yet and it’s not for lack of trying. Becca,” he said.

“If it will get you to shut up about sex, fine. Just stop talking about sex. You are my older brother,” she said.

“I love you. I owe you. Thank you,” Bucky said. He kissed her cheek, picked up his packed bag, and was out the door.

Ally and Angie were already asleep but Bucky needed Becca to watch them if something went wrong and in the morning. “My big brother,” she muttered to herself after Bucky had already left.

Bucky hadn’t actually told Steve that he was coming over but Steve had just gotten back to the city after being away for a week and a half. Tonight was the night he was going to get fucked by Steve, Bucky told himself. If Steve didn’t fuck him tonight, Bucky might actually cry.

When he got to the tower he simply went to Steve’s floor. He called out but didn’t get a response. Bucky knew that he could ask Jarvis but that still felt too odd for him to talk to the ceiling. He ended up slowly walking to Steve’s bedroom where he heard the shower running. “Steve,” he said. He didn’t want to startle Steve especially since he didn’t know that Bucky was coming.

“Buck,” Steve asked.

“Yeah. Can I come in,” Bucky asked.

“Sure. I‘m almost done though,” Steve said. Bucky opened the door and steam came rolling out. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”

“I know. I hope you don’t mind. I just wanted to see you,” Bucky said. He started undressing and then got into the shower with Steve where he was also pulled under the hot spray of water.

“How long can you stay,” Steve asked as he ran his still soapy hands over Bucky’s body.

“All night and into the morning,” Bucky said. “I want you to fuck me tonight.”

Steve inhaled sharply. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ve wanted you for so long. Hell, I used to fantasize about you in history class when we learned about you and I wasn’t the only one. Never would have thought I’d actually have the opportunity to act on any of them,” Bucky sighed. Steve was kissing his neck and chest while Bucky talked.

“Oh? Care to share any of those fantasies,” Steve teased.

“Being fucked by you if a big one and one we still haven’t managed to accomplish,” Bucky said and he had meant for sarcastic but it came out as more of a whine. “Used to think about you holding me down and fucking me till I cried, you fucking my mouth and using me, and recently I’ve been thinking about you taking you time and making love to me.”

The last one was hard to say. He hadn’t actually made love with anyone. He had had sex before but that had been years ago. He was more than a little nervous now that it actually seemed that Steve was going to fuck him.

Steve let out a low moan and Bucky couldn’t just stand there anymore. He kissed Steve’s lips before moving down. Bucky slowly made his way down Steve’s body into he was on his knees and in front of Steve’s cock.

He looked up at Steve through his lashes and met Steve’s blue eyes. Still looking up, Bucky slowly licked a stop of Steve’s dick and he watched as Steve’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

Bucky sucked on the tip and one of Steve’s hands tangled itself in his hair. Bucky relied on mostly forgot muscle memory but apparently overestimated his ability because when Steve hit the back of his throat he was gagging and then coughing. He could have sworn that he used to be able to deep throat but then again it had been years ago and he had only been with guys his own age before Steve.

Eventually, Bucky got himself back under control and returned to Steve’s cock. Bucky was nothing if not stubborn. He had to take it slowly at first but then he was able to go faster. Steve’s grip in his hair tightened but he didn’t try to push Bucky further down. Bucky slowly relaxed his jaw and throat until his nose brushed Steve’s pelvis.

“God,” Steve muttered.

Steve’s hips gave little thrusts but he was restraining himself. “It’s okay,” Bucky said when he pulled off.

“Are you—“

The rest of Steve’s question was cut off when Bucky continued as if nothing had happened. Steve’s thrusts were small and shallow at first until he was sure that he wouldn’t accidentally hurt Bucky. Steve’s grip in his hair became slightly tighter and Bucky moaned, sending the vibrations through Steve’s cock.

Bucky let Steve take control and soon Steve was muttering things that could have made a sailor blush. It didn’t take long before Steve was warning that he close but Bucky didn’t do anything. Steve gave one last thrust and then he was coming down Bucky’s throat.

Steve helped Bucky stand and then let Bucky rest all of his weight on him as Steve quickly jerked him off while leaving bruises down his neck.

Bucky went boneless after he came so Steve rinsed both of them off and then turned the water off. He wrapped Bucky in one of the fluffy towels and helped dry him off.

Once on the bed, Bucky’s brain seemed to come back online. “I still want you to fuck me tonight,” he said even as he made no attempt to actually move.

“I will but we have time. You said we have all night, right?”

Bucky hummed and snuggled closer to Steve. They stayed that way for a long time, just happy to be next to each other until Bucky started to grind his hips down on Steve’s thigh. “Ready for round two,” Bucky teased.

“That’s not a challenge you want to make. I can do this all night,” Steve said and Bucky vaguely wondered how the serum had affected Steve’s endurance. That was a question for a different night though.

“Really? Cause we’ve been taking for months and you still haven’t fucked me. I know you were raised to be a gentleman but this has to be slow even for the thirties,” Bucky teased.

Steve rolled his eyes and then quickly positioned them so Bucky was on his back and Steve was between his legs. Bucky had a flashback to the couch but there was no one here to interrupt them this time.

Reaching for the nightstand where the lube was, Steve kissed Bucky while grabbing the lube. Steve took his time prepping Bucky, longer than needed if you asked Bucky, and was careful. He knew that he was strong and he could very easily accidentally hurt the man under him. “Come on. You may be an old man but that doesn’t mean I am,” Bucky said.

“Condom or,” Steve trailed off looking almost embarrassed.

“I mean, I’m clean and you already came down my throat. Can you even catch anything,” Bucky asked.

“I can’t but it’s not polite to assume,” Steve said. “So the question still stands.”

“I want to feel you,” Bucky eventually said.

Not one to argue (since when), Steve coated his dick and slowly pushed into Bucky. Steve waited for Bucky’s okay for moving. When Bucky finally nodded his head, Steve slowly pulled out before pushing back in.

Bucky felt so full and it was amazing. “I’m not going to break,” Bucky said before he kissed Steve.

The kiss was sloppy and messy and possibly one of the best kissed either of them had ever had. Steve’s thrusts became harder. Bucky was scratching Steve’s back but he didn’t care. The marks would be gone by morning. So he would just have to leave new ones he thought to himself.

Bucky was babbling as Steve’s dick kept brushing his prostate. “Touch me, please. Please, Steve. I’m so fucking close,” Bucky said.

At the request, Steve shifted so he was supporting himself with one arm and used his now free hand to pump Bucky’s dick.

It wasn’t long until Bucky was coming between them with a cry. His entire body had tensed and then relax. Steve was chasing his own orgasm that wasn’t far away. He came deep in Bucky to the sound of broken praise and one hand in his hair with another leaving scratches on his back.

They basked in the afterglow until Steve got up. Bucky had made a very unhappy sound of protest that almost had Steve returning to the bed. “I’m getting a washcloth and some water. I’ll be right back,” he said soothingly. Bucky made another unhappy noise but didn’t protest any further than that.

Bucky hadn’t realized that he had been dozing until he jumped awake. Steve shushed him and told him to relax. Bucky could definitely get used to being fucked within an inch of his life and then being taken care of by Steve.

All the weight and worries they each carried disappeared just for a while as they help each other and drifted off to sleep.

“I’m going to marry the fuck out of him one day,” Bucky told Becca the next morning after she had told him that he looked like he had been gnawed on by a wild animal.

“Good for you,” was all she said.

•••

Steve was in a frenzy. “Steve, calm down,” Natasha said as she placed a hand on his arm. “The cooks know what they are doing.”

Bucky and his sisters were coming to the for a ‘family’ dinner. It would be the first time that the Avenger, not including Tony, would meet Bucky and his sisters. He just wanted everything to go well because he loved Bucky and his sisters and the Avengers were his family.

“What if one of them has an allergy I don’t know about? Bucky will hate me if I accidentally kill one of his sisters with peanuts or shellfish or something else,” Steve said.

“You’ve been around him for months and you’ve gone out to eat with them more than once. They would have mentioned any allergies. If you’re really worried, ask him,” Sam said. The cooks had kicked him out of the kitchen. Natasha and Sam were tasked with keeping him out of the kitchen.

“He’s right,” Natasha agreed. “Go take a run and get some of your energy out. They’re not do for another two hours.”

Steve nodded and took their advice. It was good advice and it was nice until he realized that he had lost track of time. He sprinted to the tower to find that Bucky and his sisters were already there.

“Hey, Stevie,” Bucky said from the couch. He was tucked between Sam and Natasha. He had been talking to Sam while Becca talked to Natasha (god help him). Angie was listening to Thor tell some great tale while she tried to lift his hammer. Ally was with Tony and he had let her have one of his repulsers.

“Uh, hi,” he said a little slowly.

“One minute,” Bucky said to Sam as he stood. “Nice run,” he asked.

“Yeah. I was trying to get rid of some energy,” Steve said.

“And lost track of time. Go shower, it will give everyone else a chance to get here, and then we can all eat.” Bucky leaned up and kissed Steve.

“Ew.” That was Tony.

Steve tolled his eyes and then, just to get a reaction from Tony, Steve pulled Bucky close and dipped him while giving him a kiss.

“There are children present,” Tony whined.

“Yeah, you,” Bucky said when he was standing on his own again. “Now go shower,” Bucky said and he may have lightly swatted Steve’s ass but who could really blame him.

After Steve had left the room, Bucky went back to his conversation with Sam. He had been telling Sam about how he wanted to make his prosthetics accessible to everyone who wanted them, especially to veterans who had been hurt.

While Steve was showering, the rest of the Avengers showed up. Clint had actually dropped down from the ceiling, Vision had phased through the floor, and the rest simply entered through the elevator.

Angie’s attention had shifted from Thor to Wanda as she made things float in the air. Becca was now talking to Pepper about the business aspect of Stark Industries.

While Bucky took to science, Becca liked management and planning. Ally was interested in biology and medicine and Angie loved the arts. She loved to look through Steve’s sketchbooks and watch as he drew something.

At some point before Steve got back, Natasha had set up a sparing session with Becca and Becca had challenged Tony to a fight when he had laughed. Bucky really wanted to be there for that fight because he knew that his little sister would win.

When Steve got back, they all so at a massive table for dinner. They all talked and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. It was really good to be around this many friendly faces. After dinner, they went to a screening room to watch movies.

Angie was down before the end of the first, Becca was out halfway through the third, and Ally lasted the longest out of all of them. The Avengers had periodically fallen asleep. Steve was the last to let himself sleep. He had wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. He fell asleep with Bucky curled up next to one of his sides and Ally on the other side.

(Becca had taken Tony down in less than two full minutes with Bucky shouting “that’s my girl.”

Steve had looked at Bucky and asked, ”what was that?”

“Dirty fighting,” Tony had said.

“Raw talent,” Natasha had corrected.

Becca had shrugged innocently. “Bucky always wanted us to be able to protect ourselves,” she had said as she leaned against her brother.

Natasha had then set up sparring and teaching time with all of the Barnes children and Steve knew that it was a terrible idea but he also liked the idea of Bucky, Becca, Ally, and Angie knowing how to protect themselves well.

“You do realize that Becca could actually murder you in your sleep now,” Sam had asked quietly.

“Yep,” Steve said and he was okay with that.

“You’re in so deep with those four,” Sam had said. He was right but he didn’t care. He was proud when Becca was able to take down Tony even quicker the second time.)

•••

Bucky had honestly kind of forgotten the fact that he was date Captain America. He was just Steve and Steve was amazing. Steve cared not only for Bucky but for his sisters too. He made Bucky feel safe and loved and the world wouldn’t crush him at any second.

Sure, Steve had missions and Bucky worried but Steve was apparently damn near indestructible and too stubborn to die. He always came back in, more or less, one piece. Bucky didn’t care about the shield or the costume; he cared about Steve Rogers.

So it was rather jarring when he got ambushed by reporters when trying to leave the tower after his shift. The first thing he thought about was his sisters as he promptly turned around and went back into the tower where the mob couldn’t follow and went to Steve’s floor. When he pulled out his phone he saw the breaking news.

_Captain America Seen Out With A Boyfriend_

Bucky wanted to throw the damn thing but didn’t. He and Steve had been careful, especially in the beginning, but he had to guess that they had gotten sloppy. He first called Angie’s school.

“Hello, Mr. Barnes,” the secretary said.

“Hi. I’m calling to make sure that Angelina is alright and to make sure she’s still in school.”

“She’s in class. Would you like to speak to her?”

“Yeah. Also, I’ll be picking her up today. Don’t let anyone else get her,” he said.

He had to wait a few minutes before he heard Angie’s voice. By the time Angie was one the other line Bucky was already on Steve’s floor but he didn’t see Steve. “What’s wrong, Bucky,” she asked and he could tell she was nervous.

“Nothing is wrong, Angie. I just want you to know that I’ll be picking you up from school today. Don’t leave with anyone who isn’t me, Becca, or Steve. Alright?”

“Okay,” she said.

“I love you,” he said and she repeated it before he had to go. He repeated the process with Ally and Becca’s school.

He slowed himself a silent moment before he went to find Steve or Tony or Pepper or someone more qualified than he was. “Steve,” he called into the apartment.

Not long after, Steve came walking out from the hallway. “Hey, Buck. I thought I wouldn’t see you till dinner. Oh, I know that look. What’s wrong, doll?”

Bucky explained the circus outside and the fact that they were already trying to get to his sisters. Steve listened, nodding occasionally, but remaining silent. “Alright. Let’s barrow one of Tony’s cars and go pick them up. Once we’re all together we can come up with a plan. Okay?”

God, he was so thankful for Steve’s calming presence. “Yeah. Okay,” he agreed and they did just that.

There were reporters at each school as close as they could be without getting in trouble with the law. Once they were all in the car, they went to their apartment where they each packed a bag for a few days. They had decided that they would stay with Steve since the tower was more secure.

Once at the tower, Steve and Bucky sat down with Angie and Ally to tell them what was going on. After they understood, Becca joined them as they went over what to now expect. They ordered take out to be delivered just as Pepper arrived. Steve had called her earlier.

“There are laws in play to protect Angie and Ally and Becca since they are all still minors. I think the best thing to do is to hold a press conference. Bucky, you should be there but you won’t have to talk if you don’t want to. The conference will be to explain that Steve is now in a happy relationship with you and you have been dating for a while. Answer some questions about the relationship itself but make it clear that you would like your privacy. Most will respect that and we can handle the few that won’t,” she said.

“That will make it stop,” he asked.

“There will still be an air of mystery around you. It would help if you went on fairly public dates and let the world see you as a couple but that is, of course, up to you two. Steve, I know you hate them, but doing a talk show or two wouldn’t hurt,” she had said.

“We plan on staying here for a few days but is our apartment safe,” Bucky asked.

“The building is safe. You aren’t the first family that Stark Industries has placed there. Tony owns the building and that’s why no employees have to pay rent. We learned long ago that you save money in the long term if you have the most brilliant minds on the earn working for you and they’re happy. And if I recall correctly, there are a few Shield agents of varying levels who also live there.” They had nodded before she left.

After a long conversation, they agreed to the public dates and Steve agreed to do talk shows.

The press conference was the first thing to happen, then a public date, and then Steve went on the Colbert show.

The conference was a nightmare. Bucky had basically hidden behind Steve as questions and accusations had been shouted. Steve let it go on for a moment before he held his hand up and the entire room fell silent except for the occasion shutter of a camera.

“It is now no secret that I am in a relationship. It’s no secret that I am bisexual so my having a boyfriend should be no bigger news than if I had a girlfriend. James and I met several months ago.”

“Why haven’t you announced your relationship before now,” a woman asked. Steve was fairly certain she was someone Tony had had a one-night stand with and now she hated all of them.

“James is a very private person and I have to admit that I enjoyed getting to know him without everyone looking at us,” Steve said.

“What of his children?”

“My what,” Bucky asked quietly.

They had known someone would probably ask about Bucky’s sisters or parents but they hadn’t expected it to be phrased like that. Steve glances at Bucky for guidance as to how to answer.

Bucky puffed up his chest and stepped forward. “I have adopted my three sisters. We lost our parents years ago. Steve has known about them since we first met. As he said, I value my privacy but I value theirs more so. I ask that you respect our privacy,” he said and then let Steve take over again.

After that, it had been the date. They went to the theatre, much to Bucky’s delight. He had once told Steve that he secretly loved musicals and had spent quite a bit of time before the accident looking for various bootlegs.

They saw Wicked and Bucky had watched almost mystified. Steve wouldn’t admit it but he spent most of his time looking at Bucky instead of the actual play.

Then had been Stephen Colbert. He was chosen since he was based in New York instead of California. It also didn’t hurt that Steve had been on the show before.

They had talked with Stephen dancing around the topic of interest for a while. “I have to ask about your new relationship,” Stephen said and then a picture of Steve and Bucky showed up on the screen. It had been taken at Wicked. They were both dressed up and they were both happy.

“What do you want to know,” he asked.

“Well, how did you meet?”

“I happened to lose my wallet and he returned it,” Steve said and gave a sly smile that only Bucky would understand.

Stephen asked a few more questions before it was time for a commercial. All in all, it wasn’t that bad.

The media was still interested in them for the following weeks but it was tolerable and then it died down. It didn’t hurt that Pepper had personally promised to crush anyone who got out of line.

Soon no more than a handful of people came up to Bucky when he was with Steve and absolutely no one came up to him or his sisters when Steve wasn’t around.

•••

A lot had happened fairly quickly.

Even though Steve felt like he had known Bucky and his sisters for a long time, it had only been a year and a half. To be fair, he hadn’t actually planned on getting a ring anytime soon, he and Bucky hadn’t even talked about marriage, but here he was with a ring in his hands.

He had been in France, dealing with an AIM base. After his mission, he went to Paris for the debrief because it was urgent. He had stayed in Paris for the night before Natasha would be picking him up so he walked around. He thought about the history but he also thought of the future. He thought about how Angie would really like to visit.

He had stopped before realizing it and he found himself in front of a jewelry shop. He walked in before he thought about it. “I’ll be with you in one moment,” a female voice called.

Steve knew that he should probably leave but he stayed. He looked around at the watches, cufflinks, earrings, rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Everything looked nice and well made but then one ring, in particular, caught his eye. It was a silver metal that looked braided with small diamonds embedded into the metal. It was simplistic but also beautiful.

“You have quite the eyes,” said the same voice. Steve almost jumped. When he looked he saw an older woman behind the counter, smiling at him. “Is it for a special someone?”

“I have a boyfriend but we haven’t talked about marriage or anything. We also haven’t been dating that long in the grand scheme of things,” he said but the woman gave him a wry smile.

“Why did you enter my shop if you weren’t looking for something?”

“Uh,” he stalled and he didn’t actually have an answer.

“It’s not often that the ring chooses someone but it seems like this one has chosen you, young man. So, would you like this one?”

Steve glanced at the ring again. “Yeah. I’d like the ring,” he had said.

That was how he found himself in possession of an engagement ring. He had pulled it out on more than one occasion to simply look at before he finally got up the nerve to actually consider proposing.

He went to Becca first since she was the oldest sibling Bucky had. It was after her sparing session with Natasha that he invited her to lunch, just the two of them. She had eyed him suspiciously before agreeing. “Not that I don’t love your company, but what is this about,” she asked after their food had gotten to them.

Before saying anything, Steve pulled out the small box in his pocket and placed it on the table. “I wanted to talk to you about Bucky,” he said.

Becca picked up the box and opened it. Her eyebrows shot up. “So start talking,” she had said.

“I want to propose but I also want your blessing. I plan on asking Ally and Angie but you’re the first I’ve talked to. I know you didn’t exactly trust me but I do love your brother and I would never do anything to purposely hurt him,” Steve said honestly.

She was silent for a moment before saying anything. “You know, he said he was going to marry you some day. ‘ _I’m going to marry the fuck out of him one day_ ,’ I believe were his exact words. It had been the night after he spent the night at yours for the first time,” she said and Steve was pretty sure it was only to see him blush.

“So,” he asked.

“You have my blessing to ask him. Just know that Natasha also loves him so you won’t just have me to deal with if you break his heart,” she had simply said and they enjoyed their lunch together.

With one down, Steve just had two more to go. Ally would be the hardest to ask alone because he mostly spent time with her when she was with her family. Steve had managed to let Bucky agree to him picking her up from school.

On the way back to the apartment, Steve stopped and they got ice cream in the park even though she claimed to be too old for that. “I want to talk to you about something,” he said casually.

“Okay,” she said and that was apparently his cue to start talking.

“I want to marry him. I have a ring and everything. I want you blessing to propose,” he said.

Ally paused. “Even though we come with him,” she asked.

“I’ve always known that you guys were a package deal and I’ve never cared about that, if that’s what you’re asking. I not only love Bucky but also you and Angie and Becca,” he said.

“Bucky’s happier with you around. Yeah, you can marry him,” she said.

Just one more to go. Steve talked to Angie during their art lesson. They were working on realism and Angie had rolled her eyes rather hard when Steve unveiled a bowl of fruit.

He just wasn’t sure how to start this conversation. “You okay, Steve,” she asked after his pencil had been still for a long time.

“Yeah. There’s something I wanted to ask you,” he said.

“Okay,” she responded but she sounded uneasy.

“So, a while ago you asked to be a flower girl at mine and Bucky’s wedding. Is it okay if I ask him to marry me?”

“You won’t leave us,” she asked as her own pencil also stopped moving.

“No, of course. I want to be in your lives for as long as Bucky allows me to be. That’s why I want to ask Bucky to marry me,” he said.

“What if something happens to you,” she asked and Steve could see tears in her eye.

This isn’t how he imagined this going but he knew how to change tactics. He knelt down in front of her so they were eye level with each other. “My job can be dangerous but I’m careful and I have a good team who make sure I’m safe.”

“You won’t leave us,” she asked again.

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” he confirmed.

“And I can be a flower girl,” she asked.

“Bucky may ask you to be a bridesmaid but you’d still get to wear a nice dress,” he said not wanting to promise something he wasn’t sure about.

“Alright. You can marry him,” she said and then hugged Steve.

With all three blessings, Steve only had to ask Bucky to marry him. He had everything planned but the plan had gone out the window.

Steve had made reservations at a nice restaurant. He had planned that they would have a nice dinner, take a walk, and then he would propose. It would have been perfect. But because Steve is Steve Rogers, it didn’t go as planned.

The restaurant had lost their reservations and then there was a wedding reception in the park that Steve wanted to avoid. The night was a disaster. By the time they got to the tower, they were both hungry and tired from the detour they took to avoid the reception.

“Do you want Chinese or pizza,” Bucky asked once they were at the tower.

“Dealer’s choice,” he said trying not to sound as defeated as he felt.

Bucky chose pizza and they changed into sweats and t-shirts. They settled in to watch a movie. “Are you okay? You’ve seen kind of off all evening,” Bucky said as the movie ended.

“I wanted tonight to be special because,” he paused to get the box in his pocket only to find it missing.

“Because,” Bucky prompted.

“Uh, can you stand up,” Steve asked.

Bucky gave him an odd look but stood as Steve did the same. He didn’t see the box. He sat back again and reached between the cushions.

“Steve, what’s going on,” Bucky asked and there was now a lot more concern in his voice.

“The night isn’t how I planned it. I was meant to take you to a nice dinner and we’d go for a walk and I’d propose in the park but none of that happened and now I’ve lost the damn ring,” he said.

“You were going to propose tonight?”

“Yeah,” Steve said and he did sound miserable now.

“Let’s find this ring then so you can propose,” he said with a smile.

They found the ring and then Steve actually proposed. Bucky said yes and then kissed Steve within an inch of his life. “You asked if I believed in fate, once. I’m still not positive if I do but you were right about something. I think we were meant to meet. If I believed in soulmates, which I’m not sure I do, you would be mine,” Bucky said absolutely as they cuddled next to each other in bed.

“My ma used to tell me about how she and my pa met. She said she always knew he was the one, that she knew he would change her life. I thought I had experienced that with Peggy but then I met you and I finally understood what my ma meant,” he said.

Bucky fell asleep to the steady beat of Steve’s heart and the insane amount of body heat that Steve gave off wrapped around him.

(Angie was a bridesmaid. Becca was the one who gave Bucky away. Natasha and Sam were the maid of honor and best man. Social media lost its collective shit when they released some of their wedding photos.)

•••

Looking back at his life over the past two years, Steve somehow should have seen this coming. His choices had probably been questionable from the moment he met Bucky.

He had dated (and then married) a man who had tried to steal his wallet, he had legally adopted two children and one adult (yes, you can legally adopt someone over the age of eighteen) after they had asked if he wanted to make it official, and now he was staring at his husband who was holding a small white cat.

“Steve,” Bucky said happily.

“Bucky, you have a cat,” he said. He had only been gone three days but he could see cat items scattered around their apartment. If he had been hit in the head he may assume he had a concussion but he wasn’t so he didn’t.

“Yeah. Becca found her on the street. She wanted to take her but she isn’t allowed animals other than fish in the dorm room and I may have mentioned that a pet would be nice,” Bucky said.

“So we now have a cat,” Steve asked just to make sure.

“Her name is Alpine,” Bucky said.

“I love you,” was all Steve was able to say.

That was how Steve found himself with a cat.

No, Steve’s life hadn’t turned out how he had expected. He had expected to die young before the serum. Then he had expected to die in a plane crash into the arctic. He hadn’t expected to be happy, let alone find a family, in the twenty-first century. He had expected many things but the Barnes were not one of them.

Steve found, however, that he didn’t give a single fuck that his life hadn’t played out like expected. He was happy. He had an amazing husband, three beautiful sisters-in-law, and now a cat.

It wasn’t perfect and it wasn’t what Steve had expected of his life but he couldn’t be happier.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I tried to proofread as well I could but it is inevitable. that I probably missed some mistakes so take it easy on me.


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